Beet-harvesting machine.



' f GL P. o0NNER.-lf BEET HARVESTING MACHINE I A'PPLIATIONI'ILED FEB. 2,1903. i

oo' moo.

PATENTED JUNE 19,- 1,906.

2 'SHEETS-'SHEET z.

yTo'all whom, it may concern.-

UNITED sTATns GEORGE r. OONNER, or PORT HURON,

PATENT OFFICE;

, MICHIGAN.

BEET-HARVESTING MACHINE. v

Be it lknown that I, GEORGE ECONNER, a citizen ofthe United States ofAmerica, and a lresident 'of' the city of Port Huron, in the county ofSt. Clair and the State of Michigan, have invented certain new andvuseful mprovements in Beet-Harvesting Machines, of

' which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. p

This invention relates I to beet-harvesting machines',

and especially to means for removv ing beets from any kind of soil anddelivering themready for treatment at a refinery.

f The inventionconsists in the matters hereinafter setl forth, and ymoreparticularly lpointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, igure 1 is aview in side elevation of Aa machineembodying the. features ofthe invention, parts ofthe driving '4 Y, viewof the Ning and `topping v ig. 3 is a view in section of atraction-wheel vWheels A. Said wheels ycuredvby ratchets or keysstructed to insure lightness the frontend of said frame so as to allowverconnecting-'link e.

mechanism beingomitted. d Fig. 2 is a plan mechanism being omitted.

ad ustment.4 l

leferring to the drawings, the machine .is supported and driven by apair of tractionare preferably seto a drive-shaft B in such a manner asto allow properlspacing to; accommodate the mac 'ne to lbeet-rows ofdifferent width. Aframe C, suitablr cond and rigi i pivotally securedby) bearings -on the main shaft B, and aframe ,to which draft-rig ing:nay-be attached, is pivotally connected to tical angular adjustment ofthe two by a quadrant E, locking-lever e, lever-arm e', and d A, secondshaft F is suitably journaleditd the rear portion of the mainframe C,

'and preferably is driven therefrom by means of srocket-and-chain.connectionsf 2.

rant J, locking-lever` Sp'ecication'of Letters Patent. Application nedFebruary z, 41903. serai No. 141,453.

" bearing. h to the auxiliary frame 'raised and lowered 1n unisonmachine, parts ofthe interlock- :O

ty, is

parallel to the main shaft B,

Patented June 19,1906. i

link J3. These form a convenient means for varying the relative angularrelations of the. auxiliary frame and the inain frame at the willof theoperator, although any suitable device may be used. A pair of inclinedrearwardly-converging shafts M M', symmetrically disposed with regard tothe longitudinal axis of the machine, are ad j ustablysuspended belowtlie auxiliary frame so that they may' be rocked lateral] Thisadjustment is obtained in vthe fol shaft M of this pair has its rearupper end journaled in a thrust-bearing J 3, which rocks on the mainshaft B. The forward lower end ofthe lead-shaft M is secured by abracket- H' so as to be therewith by the lever J. The lead-shaft M andfollower M' Y are heldin xed lateral relation bis. yokeframe N, in whichthey are suitably jeurnaled. ne side 'of said yoke rides on and is suiported by the lead-shaft` M and is adjustablv secured on the other sideby link and a locking-lever m' to the auxiliary frame H.

The two shaftsM M' are connected by gearing M3,"so as to rotate inopposite directions, and the lead-shaft is from the shaft F by a pair ofbevel-gears M4.

Z'The tilting of the yoke, therefore, does not throw this drivingmechanism out of adjustinent, although 'any form of driving-gear andlateral tilting frame may be used which gives the required result. d

A pair of pullin -cones O O' are secured to the lower end of t e shaftsM M', ter the ground at a point approximately bcneath the main shaftofthe machine. As a 'conse uence an irregularitiesv in the surface donot vary the distance between the cones and the two supporting-wheels,so that the cones are kept at a constant depth below the and raise thedirt. The cones are disposed in relation to each other so that theirouter lines of cleavage with the earth, as indicated by the dotted linesX X in Fig. 2, are approximately parallel, so that they do not'tend tospread the earth adjacent to their outer portions. The cones areprovided with parallel spiral disposed as to be practically parallel tothe :surface of the ground when they pass up and throu h it, therebytending yto loosen andv raise t e dirt.

In order to give the traction-wheels proper lateral adjustment, so thatthe' ilachineinay conveniently driven I owing manner: The leadso as toenlsurface of the earth, thereby tending to pack lOO grooves o ofopposite pitch so4 IIO cured on the shaft B between a ratchet-` wheel aand collar a2. These are each longitudinally adjustable on the shaft B,beingy secured by suitable set-screws, feathers, or the like. A pawl c3,pivotally secured o n the hub a, engages the ratchet a', driving theshaft B when the wheel is turning forward in the usual manner.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The drive-wheels arelaterally adjusted, so as to lace the cones in line with the row to bepulled and also to avoid adjacent rows. The pulling-cones are inclined,so as to enter the groun at an angle which the character of the soildemands. In case 'it is desirable to discharge the beets at one side ofthe machine the yoke of the cone-shafts is tilted by the proper lever,so that the beets roll over the lower coneand are thrown out at one sideof the machine. The position of the cones beneath the main axis of themachine causes them to ride at a constant distance from the surface ofthe ground regardless of any irregularities which the draft wheelsencounter.

An important feature of the machine is the adjustment which allowstiltingof the pullingcones, whereby the beets are delivered on one sideof the machine or other, as desired, thus giving a clear path for thereturn of the machine across the field, while the beets are left in anarrow strip where they can be easily gathered. If the pulling-coneswere fixed in a horizontal position, the beets would be delivered atrandom on either side of the machine, thus increasing the trouble ofgathering the crop, as well as impeding the passage of the machine.

The position of the cones insures easy draft of the machine, as theapproximately parallel lines of cleavage of the outer faces of the conesdo not tend to wedge the cones together or to spread the ground oneitherside of the rows. If the cones converged, the machine would Ahaveto move an unnecessary amount of earth, and thus cause uselessexpenditure of power. Another feature of the machine is the arrangementof the on the cones, which as they pass upift the earth between thecones and pack it so that the beet-roots are readilypulled withoutinjury.

It will be understood that the construction may be varied to suit therequirements of the machine for different grades of work and that thesupporting and traction mechanism are such as to obtain the interactionand coperation of parts, the minor details not forming a part of theapplication.

The design and arrangement of parts may be varied without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, and I do not limit myself to any particularform or arrangement except as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention- 1. A beet-harvester comprising powerdrivenpulling mechanism and means to tilt said mechanism in planes transverseto each other.

2. Y In a beet-harvester, a pair of rotatable pulling-cones whose axesare obli ue to each other, and means for adjustably t1 ting them b'othlaterally and longitudinally.

3. In a beet-harvester, a pair of rota-table pulling-cones so disposedthat the outer lines of contact with the surface of the soil areapproximately parallel.

4. In a beet-harvester, a pair of rotatable pulling-cones in fixedrelative position so that their outer lines of contact with the surfaceof the ground are approximately parallel, said pair of cones being bothlaterally and longitudinally tiltable.

5. In a beet-harvester, a pair of rotatable pulling-cones whoseperipheries are provided with spirally-arranged grooves.

6. In a beet-harvester a pair of rotatable pulling-cones whose surfacesare provided with oppositely-disposed grooves adapted to moveapproximately parallel to the surface of the ground as they pass upwardtherefrom.

7. In a beet-harvester, a pair of rotatable pulling-cones adapted topenetrate the earth, whose axes are obliquo to each other.

8. In a beet -harvester, a pulling cone adapted to penetrate the earth,whose vertical axial plane is oblique to the longitudinal axis of themachine, operatively connected to the traction-wheels of the machine.

In testimony whereof I have signed. my name in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEORGIE F. CONNER.

Witnesses:

D. E. PURDY, H. J. Sounonnnn.

IOO

